Sri Lanka’s decisive military victory over terrorism no jubilation for United States

Daya Gamage – US National Correspondent Asian Tribune

Washington, D.C. 20 May (Asiantribune.com): The United States which strongly encouraged Sri Lanka to engage in political negotiations with Tamil Tigers believing the outfit’s invincibility implicitly and explicitly indicating that their total annihilation will silence the voice of the minority ethnic Tamils had no immediate reaction to the outfit’s total defeat on Monday May 18.

The U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly at the daily media briefing on Tuesday side stepped the issue of U.S. Government congratulating Sri Lanka. Instead he was continually referring to humanitarian situation and the internally displayed person’s plight.

When asked by a reporter as to why the United States comments of the defeat of a ruthless terrorist outfit “couched in sort of moral equivalent terms of the fighting is over, we’re glad that this has ended” without making a statement congratulating the Government of Sri Lanka, the spokesman continued with his comments about the displaced persons and their welfare.

The accredited State Department journalist asked the spokesman point blank “Isn’t this a victory over terrorism? Isn’t that worth celebrating”, he refused to offer the Government of Sri Lanka the Obama administration’s congratulations.

The Asian Tribune carries here the exact dialogue that went between the reporter and the State Department spokesman Ian Kelly:

Question: Yeah. With LTTE designated by our government as a foreign terrorist organization, why are you not congratulating Sri Lanka for concluding a decisive military victory over a foreign terrorist organization? Why our comments all are couched in sort of moral equivalent terms of the fighting is over, we’re glad that this has ended? Isn’t this a victory over terrorism?

Mr. Kelly: I don’t like you saying that I’m using moral equivalent terms, I have to say, James. Look, I mean, we are less than 24 hours into what I hope is a new era for the Sri Lankan people. And as I said before, our focus is on addressing these very urgent needs of the Sri Lankan people, these almost 300,000 dispossessed, displaced people. Our policy on the LTTE – the Tamil Tigers – has been very clear. We see them as a terrorist organization.

Question: So is this a victory against a terrorist organization? Isn’t that worth celebrating?

Mr. Kelly: Again, I think our focus is going to be on taking care of the urgent needs of the people. I’m not saying at some point we may not say something else. But we want to take care of the urgent needs of the people and start looking at how we can put into place some kind of political process that takes into account all the peoples of Sri Lanka. (End Quote)

Entangled in fact and fiction for a very long time the United States believed that ‘to some extent’ the Tamil Tigers represented the aspirations of the 12% ethnic minority Tamils in Sri Lanka. The State Department Foreign Service Officers stationed in Colombo for past two decades or so in action and deeds were greatly influenced by the Tamil Tiger ideology of a ‘Homeland’ and had frequent diplomatic contacts with Tamil politicians and activists who identified themselves with that ideology.

The current assistant secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs in the U.S. State Department Richard Boucher in one of his visits to Colombo in April 2007 expressed the sentiments that any solution to Sri Lanka’s national issue should revolve round the ‘Tamil Homeland’.

Most State Department and Congressional Research Service documents liberally used the term “Sinhalese-dominated government” when describing the Government of Sri Lanka.

Fully aware of this United States sentiment Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his addressed to the nation on Tuesday 19 May from the well of the parliament categorically stated that the defeat of the LTTE was not a defeat of the Tamil people.

Rajapaksa pointed that the defeat of LTTE terrorism was not a defeat for Tamils in his country and the nation has stepped towards a new beginning where all people could live in peace together. "Any solution to the problem must be indigenous and not imported. The international community can assist us but they cannot work out solutions as a solution must be national and acceptable to all people", the President stressed.

He stressed about finding an 'indigenous solution to the national issue' ruling out 'imported formulas'.

The United States Embassy in the years 2002 through 2004 through the offices of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) conducted seminars, symposiums and workshops throughout Sri Lanka promoting a federal structure under the close guidance of then ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead.

Rajapaksa fully aware of this refuted imported solutions to his countries problems in his address to the nation on Tuesday.

The Asian Tribune carries here the full text of the question and answer session that went at the State Department briefing on Tuesday:

(Begin State Department Briefing)

Mr. Kelly:Sri Lanka.

Question: -- okay – announces that they have won the war against the Tamil Tigers. Two questions. One, what is your comment, if any, on the government’s belief that it has secured a conclusive, decisive military victory against the Tigers? And secondly, Secretary Clinton told us on Thursday that it was not the right time for the IMF to consider a $1.9 billion loan to Sri Lanka. Does – has that view changed, or is it still the Department’s view that this is not the right time to consider such a loan?

Mr. Kelly: Let me first just comment in general on the situation in Sri Lanka, and then I’ll talk about next steps. The Department of State welcomes the fact that the fighting has ended, and we are relieved that the immense loss of life and killing of innocent civilians appears to be over. This is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to turn the page on its past and build a Sri Lanka rooted in democracy, tolerance, and respect for human rights. Now is the time for the government to engage the Tamils, Sinhalese, and other Sri Lankans to create a political arrangement that promotes and protects the rights of all Sri Lankans.

It is also vital for the government to provide for the needs of the 280,000 civilians now living in relief camps. Providing food, water, shelter, basic health care, and sanitation, as well as expediting their return to their homes should be a top priority for the government.

And I think on the specific question about what the Secretary said about the IMF loan, I haven’t talked to her today specifically about this. I would just say that in general our focus needs to be on this very urgent short-term problem of providing for the needs of IDPs, internally displaced persons, and then to begin the process of reconciliation of a political process that includes all of the people of Sri Lanka.

On the specific issue of the IMF loan, let me just limit myself to saying that the Secretary will be consulting with friends and allies on next steps. But it’s too early really to comment on the IMF loan.

Question: Can you take that question, only because she addressed the matter not three days ago and --

Mr. Kelly: Yeah, I’m pretty sure you’ll get the same answer I just gave you.

Question: Yeah, I’m pretty sure of that, too. But if you could check, I’d be grateful.

Mr. Kelly: All right, sure.

Question: Thank you.

Question: So just following up on the humanitarian side, has the U.S. Government been in touch with the Sri Lankan Government about providing access to the UN and all the other agencies --

Mr. Kelly: Yes.

Question: -- that have been denied?

Mr. Kelly: Yes, yes.

Question: So on the ground you’re expecting --

Mr. Kelly: On the ground through Ambassador Blake.

Question: So you’re expecting that any time soon, or should it have started already? They’ve allowed them that extra --

Mr. Kelly: I --

Question: -- manpower and --

Mr. Kelly: I would certainly hope so.

Question: What’s the --

Mr. Kelly: Yes.

Question: Can you please first provide an assessment of whether U.S. sanctions over the years have actually worked or had any influence in this, or was this purely just a military victory by the government over the --

Mr. Kelly: Sanctions –

Question: -- American sanctions and, you know, the blacklist that various companies from Sri Lanka have been put on around the world?

Mr. Kelly: Yeah. Well, I – yeah, don’t think I’m in a position really to characterize whether or not the sanctions have worked. I’d just say again that we welcome the fact that the fighting has ended after 25 years, and it appears anyway that the long suffering of the Sri Lankan people are – is now over.

Question:: Any idea about that state of – I mean, the companies that are on the blacklist stay on the blacklist?

Mr. Kelly: Well, I – you know, as I say, I think we’re going to have to consult not only with our friends and allies, but also to consult internally too, on what the next steps are. So let me leave that at –

Same issue, James?

Question: Yeah. With LTTE designated by our government as a foreign terrorist organization, why are you not congratulating Sri Lanka for concluding a decisive military victory over a foreign terrorist organization? Why are our comments all couched in sort of moral equivalent terms of the fighting is over, we’re glad that this has ended? Isn’t this a victory over terrorism?

Mr. Kelly: I don’t like you saying that I’m using moral equivalent terms, I have to say, James. Look, I mean, we are less than 24 hours into what I hope is a new era for the Sri Lankan people. And as I said before, our focus is on addressing these very urgent needs of the Sri Lankan people, these almost 300,000 dispossessed, displaced people. Our policy on the LTTE – the Tamil Tigers – has been very clear. We see them as a terrorist organization.

Question: So is this a victory against a terrorist organization? Isn’t that worth celebrating?

Mr. Kelly: Again, I think our focus is going to be on taking care of the urgent needs of the people. I’m not saying at some point we may not say something else. But we want to take care of the urgent needs of the people and start looking at how we can put into place some kind of political process that takes into account all the peoples of Sri Lanka.

Question: But, sir, as far as humanitarian doors, they are not still open because hundreds of Tamils were demonstrating in front of the White House and despite a presidential statement that he was calling on the Sri Lankan Government and the UN and the international community that this is urgent need. But still the campaign is still going on against innocent people in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Kelly: Well, I mean, we’ve been very consistent and very clear that the Government of Sri Lanka has to ensure that these hundreds of thousands of civilians are cared for, that they have to provide for their needs, and these are very basic needs. And we believe that these – taking care of these basic needs should be a top priority for the government. (End State Department Briefing)

One should not get confused with the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee statement issued on Tuesday. This Committee is part of the legislative body, and State Department is part of the Obama Administration’s Executive Branch.

- Asian Tribune -